Hi Steve,
Foreign domestic workers (yup that is the terminology used) have a whole
range of experience in SG,
due to the different households they find themselves in, and sadly the lack
of clear legal requirements
for their minimum employment terms.
For a long time, they were not even entitled to a day off, and some
employers can be very wicked and
take away their right to contact anyone by denying the right to use the
house phone or hold their own mobile phones.
So there are a lot of horror stories - of wicked employers, greedy agents
who misrepresent information to workers
and employers, and of course some bad workers too.
I employed my Lorna when I was expecting my first baby in 1998 so she was
hired largely to be a nanny
so that I could continue to work. She has stayed on with me since then -
24 years - and is a part of my family.
When my first child was about 2 years old (and I was expecting my 2nd), we
visited her family in the Philippines
so that we both knew each other's families. I look at it as she is taking
care of my family so that she can send
money back to take care of them. So a sort of mutuality.
I asked her to give up her Sundays off when my baby was very young and I
was a dud about child care, and
she agreed. She started having Sundays off when my elder child was about 4
months old (I forget!).
Up to the time of covid, she would go home to her family every 2 years or
so. She has not been back for about
4 years now - her trip in 2020 (for her 60th birthday) got cancelled due to
covid - and is planning one in October.
And my daughter is likely to go with her to meet her family again, 20
years after her first visit to the Philippines.
Yes, kids can be completely reliant on their helpers and do not know how to
take care of themselves.
I know Lorna would have handfed my girls (at age 8 or 10!!) if I allowed
her to do so.
She still calls them "B...(for baby)!
I taught my girls to use knives (to cut cucumbers) at about age 6, and she
was horrified (so was the husband)
and be generally useful in the kitchen but they are proper messes as there
is always Lorna to pick up after
their trails of destruction.
My no. 2 daughter lives on campus so she has learnt how to do her own
laundry, which is good, and she
also helps run the uni cafe/buttery and has a decent reputation for her
baked goods, so I am rather proud of that..
Her kids have grown up, graduated and are working - one is in Singapore and
I see her occasionally.
We say hello to them (and her grandkids) via Facebook Messanger or Whatsapp
video calls.
As my kids are both grown up (and I really do not need a live in helper,
but am spoilt), she is really the
chief cook (for 5 or 6 days a week) so I get hot meals every day even
though I may work late and only
arrive home after 8pm. She also takes care of the cleaning of the home and
the dreadful ironing.
As she is part of our family, she eats with us most days.
Unless we are entertaining a larger crowd and there is no room at the main
table and/or she is uncomfortable.
But she always gets the first glass of sparkling wine - chefs must be
properly treated!
Other helpers have different experiences. I have a friend who has 2
helpers (sisters) who take care of
her 2 aged parents (in their 80s/90s and suffering from dementia) and they
too are treasured.
Their lives are different cos they have to care for older folk and provide
quasi nursing care.
Still other helpers help with kids and old folks, which can be tough.
Some employers are nice, others can be nasty and demanding.
The problem is that there is no min standards as to what each worker is
entitled to.
Some have no access to families and friends and can become depressed.
Some are physically abused by employers.
Others steal from their employers (happens when they are the sole caregiver
of a older folk who is completely reliant on her).
I do not need a helper but I am keeping Lorna for so long as she wants to
stay and needs the money to send home.
So her duties are not very heavy and she is given quite a lot of laxity
with time etc.
Others really need the extra pair of hands as both parents are working long
hours, or have older folk who need constant care.
So their hours can be very long.
There are definitely social issues resulting from our dependence on foreign
live in helpers, but
I am grateful for Lorna having been with us long enough that there is
stability for the kids
(many children have had multiple helpers in their short lives - changes
every 2 years or so)
whilst I am able to keep working.
sorry for really dlong OT message.
Susan
On Thu, 21 Apr 2022 at 22:39, Tilden, Steve ST <
Steve.Tilden@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Susan and Vicki
I made the Filipino adobo with skinless thighs recently and really enjoyed
the flavours.
It was Lornas’ method with the recipetineats ingredients.
Jen found the texture too chunky with all the peppercorns and lemongrass,
so next time will strain out bits after cooking a while before thickening
to a jam like sauce. Loved the sauce with the rice.
Conversation soon moved to the Singapore domestics’ life. Questions like:
Q:”What do they do?” My Answer: “ Domestic stuff – cooking, cleaning,
shopping, kids etc” Q: “Do they do all the cooking?” A: “Dunno, but Susan
cooks a lot” Q: “Does Lorna eat and entertain with the family?” ;A:
“Dunno, I’ll ask” Q: “Does she have a knock off time and do other stuff?” A
“dunno , I’ll ask”. I do know that when Bourdain did Singapore, the kids
said the males can’t tie their shoelaces because the domestics do
everything for them.
I warned Jen she would be very Jelly if I asked, but I’m asking anyway J
Cheers
Steve
*From:* oz-food-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:oz-food-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
*On Behalf Of *Susan Yuen
*Sent:* Sunday, 16 January 2022 8:03 PM
*To:* oz-food@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
*Subject:* [oz-food] Re: Filipino Chicken Adobo
Hi Vicki,
I chatted to my helper Lorna and these are the differences from the recipe
you used..
a. she does not marinate with chopped garlic, nor with vinegar. But soya
sauce, pepper and bay leaves are used.
b. she finds a adding a bit of oyster sauce and rice wine in the
marinade improves flavours of the chicken
(that is so Chinese!!)
c. the chicken skin stays ON the chicken. And the parts with bones are
the best (wings, backs are glorious).
d. she does not sear the chicken as per your recipe. Instead she sautes
ginger (2 inch knob, sliced)
and garlic (2 tbsp chopped) in oil before adding the chicken pieces
(without the marinade) and
fries them for about 10 min till brown before adding the marinade back
into the pan. Simmer till almost tender.
e. She then adds the vinegar at the end and cooks for about 5 mins.
This gives it a really flavourful vinegary snap - I love sour so it
works for me.
Lorna confirms that there are many many ways to cook adobo. Some come with
more gravy
and others practically with none so you can add or subtract from the water
in the recipe.
(I like the gravy version better).
Some also add coconut milk to enrich the sauce.
But a child in my home is allergic to coconut so I have never tasted that.
She recently introduced us to a provincial recipe where lemongrass and
annatto or achiote
is used and I like the lemongrass flavours.
We usually have the adobo with simple stir fried green veg
Nothing to distract from the vinegary flavours.
Hope this gives you some ideas for your next adobo cookout.
Susan
On Sat, 15 Jan 2022 at 17:42, Vicki Taylor <vicki@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Susan,
This is so interesting. I’ve heard of adobo of course, but have never
tried to make it before now. Would your helper be willing to share her
favourite (chicken) version? I don’t care where it’s from as long as it’s
tasty. 🙂
What sides (besides rice 🙂) and/or veg dishes do you typically have with
adobo?
Vicki. :-)
On 15 Jan 2022, at 8:37 pm, Susan Yuen <susan.yuen@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Vicki,
This is our family's favourite as our helper cooks marvellous adobo dishes
for us.
I am told there are many variations of the adobo - regional differences
abound
(the Manila version is different from those in outlying provinces, etc),
and
some recipes include pork, chicken liver and gizzards (our faves).
She also cooks sotong (squid) adobo with squid ink which is soooo good.
And having lived in Singapore for so long, she sometimes adds oyster sauce
for a 'Chinese version,' She has also tried different Chinese vinegars in
place
of the straightforward white vinegar usually called for in recipes.
Apparently, she tells me that the traditional vinegar used in adobo is
coconut
vinegar but that is a bit harder to find.
RICE is a MUST. We always overeat when adobo is on the table!
Susan
On Sat, 15 Jan 2022 at 13:28, Vicki Taylor <vicki@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Thanks to Jules for putting me onto this one. We both really enjoyed –
yes, Dohn ate chicken thigh and actually said it was good! 😮
Served with Smashed Cucumber Salad and rice.
https://www.recipetineats.com/filipino-chicken-adobo-flavour-kapow/
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.recipetineats.com/filipino-chicken-adobo-flavour-kapow/__;!!Nd8K6TfUt9jcQpcU_mCx!9P0YK08eUk41apX6w6772_YnGDd7yU-5CunuU64h7EvLQp6ZL8YP-AYIYnhrDOJwxSS-z4zp$>
https://www.recipetineats.com/smashed-cucumber-salad/
<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.recipetineats.com/smashed-cucumber-salad/__;!!Nd8K6TfUt9jcQpcU_mCx!9P0YK08eUk41apX6w6772_YnGDd7yU-5CunuU64h7EvLQp6ZL8YP-AYIYnhrDOJwxekLQ9Tv$>
Vicki. :-)
<Filipino Chicken Adobo.jpeg>
<Filipino Chicken Adobo with Smashed Cucumber Salad and rice.jpeg>
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